Ukraine's Foreign Ministry has responded to the statement by the Director of the Private Office of the NATO Secretary General that Ukraine could join the Alliance in exchange for giving up some of its territories. According to the ministry's spokesperson, Oleh Nikolenko, such speculations are unacceptable.
"The Director of the Private Office of the NATO Secretary General has suggested that Ukraine could become a member of the North Atlantic Alliance in case of territorial concessions to the Russian Federation. Talks about Ukraine's accession to NATO in exchange for giving up part of Ukrainian territories are absolutely unacceptable," Nikolenko said.
He recalled that "we have always proceeded from the fact that the Alliance, like Ukraine, does not trade territories".
"The conscious or unconscious involvement of NATO officials in shaping the narrative about the possibility of Ukraine giving up its territories plays into Russia's hands. Instead, it is in the interests of Euro-Atlantic security to discuss ways to speed up Ukraine's victory and its full membership in NATO," he said.
Nikolenko added that Ukraine is committed to further fruitful cooperation with the NATO Secretariat to achieve these goals.
Director of the Private Office of the NATO Secretary General Stian Jenssen suggested during a public discussion in Arendelle that Ukraine could become a member of the Alliance in exchange for part of its territory. He added that this decision should be made by Kyiv.